Brotherhood: The Recruits [2/?]
Brotherhood: The Recruits
Author: name_me_regret
AN: I’m on a roll! Mostly, because I’ve been wanting to write these scenes for a while. Now, the next few chapters will just be of the Recruits before they join the Brotherhood. Essentially, the first fourteen (this will be explained later) chapters will be the introduction of the characters and either their first meetings with Ezio, or how their lives were changed or made better due to Ezio. Also, I forgot to put the disclaimer on the last chapter, but I’m not going back to change it. I’m lazy like that, lol However, you all know I don’t own Assassin’s Creed; it’s sad...but true.
Chapter Two: Severino Sabelli
The young man sighed as he ran a hand through the sweaty strands of his black hair as he straightened while making sure the stand was set-up the way his uncle had instructed. His uncle, while very whimsical on everything, was actually pretty anal on how the stand was suppose to be set-up. There weren’t many stands in this part of the city, since they lived in the Antico District.
In this place the houses were more ruins than actual descent dwellings, but he wouldn’t live anywhere else. From his window on the second floor he could lean out and to the left see the Arco Di Tito. It was some famous arc that was built by some emperor whose name he couldn’t begin to remember. He wasn’t too educated in such things and could read enough to get him by, and could write as well as a modern day third grader. Beyond that was the magnificent sight of the Colosseo, which he had never entered since he was busy working all the time.
Their stand was across from a man selling prime cuts of meat, which they bought on occasion when they had extra florins. Also, nearby was a doctor that was shouting for people to approach, “Come, don’t be shy. I only wish to heal!” Severino didn’t know whether to believe him or not, since the beak-like masks some of them wore freaked him out.
His head lifted as he saw a man approaching and quickly looked back to the stand to make sure everything was right. He had learned early on put every single thing where it belonged, and afterwards get out of the way. His uncle, who would be fifty soon, had quite the silver tongue. Severino, on the other hand, was clumsy with his words so did all the physical labor. He didn’t really mind, since at twenty years old, he was in his prime. Besides, this had become their system since he’d come to live with the older man after his parents died when he’d been twelve.
Even now it hurt to remember, and could admit that at times he’d awaken from a deep sleep and still think he was in their home in Venice. Then his head would clear, he would remember the carriage accident that had taken their lives and would momentarily mourn them. The hole their absence left would surely never be filled, so he worked hard all day that when he fell into bed at night he’d be too exhausted to actually dream of those happier days.
“You’re thinking too much, nipote,” his uncle chastised as he came to stop beside him. His sharp black eyes observed his handy work before nodding quickly and then turning his full attention on his nephew. As Severino gave him a half-sheepish grin, he sighed forlornly. He still remembered that night eight years ago when city guards had come knocking on his door. They’d had a sobbing twelve year old Severino with them, and brought the tragic news of his sister and her husbands’ deaths.
They had been coming to visit him during the summer, and so he could see his only nephew again after almost five years. However, the horse that had been pulling their carriage had gotten spooked by a snake and bolted. They had been on the outskirts of entering Roma from the Central District and the rampaging animal had veered west. In a desperate attempt to save Severino, since they couldn’t calm the horse, his father had flung him into a cart of hay they were passing. Moments later --and he knew this because Severino had recounted it in between breathless sobs-- they horse had taken a sharp turn as it hit a large rock so the carriage broke away from the harness attaching it to the animal. The carriage, along with Severino’s parents, had tumbled over the nearby cliff-face.
“It’s nothing, Zio Rocco,” Severino muttered, jarring the old man out of his own memories. Rocco Martucci had never liked the man his sister had chosen for her husband, and more so since he was a Sabelli. The man’s grandfather had betrayed their own grandfather due to greed, and caused them to lose any wealth they had. Their family suffered, and his own father had sworn that they would have their revenge. It never came about since his father had died when they’d been very young and the Sabelli had moved to Venice along with their three children.
During a business deal that would lead the man, Angelo back to Roma he had met his sister, Gabriela. They had fallen in love and since his father was not around to stop it, he had protested their romance in his stead. It hadn’t stopped them and they eloped to Venice where they were married against both families wishes. No, he had never liked Angelo since he had stolen his only remaining family from him and taken her so far away. However, he couldn’t deny that the man made her happy, and was a good husband and later, father. So, he had regretted his passing.
Rocco smiled and patted the young man’s face. “Then please get out of the way,” he said, causing Severino to laugh and move around to the back of the stand and out of sight. It pained Rocco how much Severino resembled his mother at times even when he was the spitting image of his father.
The morning passed quickly and they sold so much that Rocco believed they could splurge on meat that day. He stood from the small stool he’d sat on behind the counter of his stall and pushed it open so he could get out. “I think its time to pack up for the day,” he called to Severino. He was still in the back of the stall and would only come out when he’d manage to make a sale so he could wrap and bag the item.
“Si, I’m coming!” Severino called. The older man shook his head as he heard him scrambling up and around and knew that he was mostly likely studying his scrolls again. While it was true that the young man was uneducated, he was quite adept at catching on. So, Rocco was sure that soon even his writing would improve.
Rocco grunted as he was shoved and stumbled to the side. “Do you not have any manners?” he demanded of the man, but the other only glanced at him and took off running. Rocco’s hand instinctively went to his coin pouch and paled when he found nothing. “No! Bastardo has robbed us!”
He heard Severino gasp before he ran around the side of the stall. “Who? Where did he go?” The old man pointed out the fleeing thief before the younger took off like a shot. Rocco exhaled and turned to the stall, and saw the scrolls Severino had been reading unraveling behind the stall where his nephew had dropped them. There was nothing to do besides start to pack up and wait for the other to return.
“Give me back my money, stronzo!” Severino shouted. He was quickly gaining on the thief as he curled and uncurled his hands into fists. The other threatened to kill him if he didn’t stay back, but Severino wouldn’t be swayed. That money was their livelihood, and wouldn’t let another steal it so easily.
Severino gave a roar as he tackled the gangly man, snatching back his uncle’s coin pouch before standing and glaring down at the cowering thief. “Next time you steal from us, I’ll cut one of your hands off,” he threatened. He kicked him slightly to get him to leave as he quickly looked inside the purse to make sure nothing had been taken.
“What are you doing?” he heard someone shout. Severino cursed his luck as he saw three guards quickly approaching and wondered if he could out-run them, but quickly revised that idea. After all, if he simply explained what had happened then perhaps they would be understanding. However, it was very unlikely since the abusive guards seemed to enjoy inflicting humiliation and pain on them.
“I was stopping a thief that stole my uncle’s money pouch.” He failed to mention that if the guards weren’t so busy harassing poor citizens, then perhaps they could concentrate on catching the petty thieves that robbed hard-working people like them on a daily basis. He didn’t shout that if the Borgia would stop stealing more than fifty percent of what they earned then perhaps they, as well as all the citizens of Roma would be able to live a much better life.
“I don’t think I like your tone,” one of the guards hissed, shoving him back. Severino grit his teeth as he was pushed around by the abusive guards, since he knew that he had no weapon with which to defend himself if he were to attack or provoke them.
“Per favore, I did not mean any offence,” he said in a placating manner. He needed to get back to the stand to help his aging uncle in packing up everything, and then lug it home.
“Then you shouldn’t have opened your mouth.” The guard made a grab for the pouch and Severino growled and shoved him away immediately. He wouldn’t let anyone take what his uncle had worked so hard for!
The other man sneered and quickly drew his sword. “Stronzo! Now you die!” He swung his weapon and Severino hastily jumped back to dodge the attack. The young man had to do some quick footwork to avoid the blades of the other two guards that had decided to join in the action.
As Severino jumped back, he slammed into a panicking civilian who dropped what he was carrying before running off, and the unarmed man desperately grabbed it while wildly jumping away from an attack. He was bewildered to discover that his weapon of choice was a broom. The guards laughed at his predicament before attacking once more. Severino instinctively used the broom and swung it in a wide arc that nailed the closest enemy across the face. Rather than stand stunned as the other two, he lifted the broom and slammed it into the back of the dazed man’s head, causing him to crumble to the ground in unconsciousness.
The two remaining men became angry and started to attack in tandem, and taunted him as they swung their sharp swords at him while avoiding his hasty swings with the broom. This went on for several minutes before a carefully calculated swing took the head of his wooden weapon as Severino stumbled back, tripped over the fallen guard and landed heavily on his ass.
Severino lifted wide eyes to the approaching guards and knew that this was the end, he was going to die. Just as the closer one lifted his weapon, the world was ripped asunder.
A huge explosion was heard and all three men’s head snapped in the direction of the closest Borgia tower, which was commanded by the Captain Prospero da Siena. While they watched, the head of the tower erupted in flames that licked the Borgia flags so they burned until only ash remained. The two guards had rushed off in that direction while Severino watched in horrified awe.
Thus he was able to see a strange sight. A body, highlighted against the burning inferno, dressed in white robes and armor soared gracefully through the air before disappearing from sight. For a few moments Severino sat there stunned for several reasons. One, his life had just been spared. Two, that hated tower which had represented the Borgia’s oppression over this part of the city was no more. Three, he thought that he might have seen a man, or perhaps some kind of eagle launch himself from the exploding tower. It was a lot to take in.
However, he was spurred into action as the unconscious guard groaned from where he was laying. Severino jumped to his feet as he flung the cut broom away, but paused before fleeing. He glanced at the other man before crouching beside him and searching over his yielding body. A moment later he was holding a dagger, a few throwing knives, and the man’s sword and sheath strapped to his belt. If this guard or the others ever managed to identify him, then he’d be waiting. After all, now that the tower was destroyed they were essentially liberated from Borgia control, and Severino Sabelli --though he had very little combat ability-- would fight to keep their shop from falling into the Borgia’s tyrannical control once again.-
~o~
Nipote - nephew
Zio - uncle
Si - Yes
Bastardo - bastard
Per favore - please
Author: name_me_regret
AN: I’m on a roll! Mostly, because I’ve been wanting to write these scenes for a while. Now, the next few chapters will just be of the Recruits before they join the Brotherhood. Essentially, the first fourteen (this will be explained later) chapters will be the introduction of the characters and either their first meetings with Ezio, or how their lives were changed or made better due to Ezio. Also, I forgot to put the disclaimer on the last chapter, but I’m not going back to change it. I’m lazy like that, lol However, you all know I don’t own Assassin’s Creed; it’s sad...but true.
Chapter Two: Severino Sabelli
The young man sighed as he ran a hand through the sweaty strands of his black hair as he straightened while making sure the stand was set-up the way his uncle had instructed. His uncle, while very whimsical on everything, was actually pretty anal on how the stand was suppose to be set-up. There weren’t many stands in this part of the city, since they lived in the Antico District.
In this place the houses were more ruins than actual descent dwellings, but he wouldn’t live anywhere else. From his window on the second floor he could lean out and to the left see the Arco Di Tito. It was some famous arc that was built by some emperor whose name he couldn’t begin to remember. He wasn’t too educated in such things and could read enough to get him by, and could write as well as a modern day third grader. Beyond that was the magnificent sight of the Colosseo, which he had never entered since he was busy working all the time.
Their stand was across from a man selling prime cuts of meat, which they bought on occasion when they had extra florins. Also, nearby was a doctor that was shouting for people to approach, “Come, don’t be shy. I only wish to heal!” Severino didn’t know whether to believe him or not, since the beak-like masks some of them wore freaked him out.
His head lifted as he saw a man approaching and quickly looked back to the stand to make sure everything was right. He had learned early on put every single thing where it belonged, and afterwards get out of the way. His uncle, who would be fifty soon, had quite the silver tongue. Severino, on the other hand, was clumsy with his words so did all the physical labor. He didn’t really mind, since at twenty years old, he was in his prime. Besides, this had become their system since he’d come to live with the older man after his parents died when he’d been twelve.
Even now it hurt to remember, and could admit that at times he’d awaken from a deep sleep and still think he was in their home in Venice. Then his head would clear, he would remember the carriage accident that had taken their lives and would momentarily mourn them. The hole their absence left would surely never be filled, so he worked hard all day that when he fell into bed at night he’d be too exhausted to actually dream of those happier days.
“You’re thinking too much, nipote,” his uncle chastised as he came to stop beside him. His sharp black eyes observed his handy work before nodding quickly and then turning his full attention on his nephew. As Severino gave him a half-sheepish grin, he sighed forlornly. He still remembered that night eight years ago when city guards had come knocking on his door. They’d had a sobbing twelve year old Severino with them, and brought the tragic news of his sister and her husbands’ deaths.
They had been coming to visit him during the summer, and so he could see his only nephew again after almost five years. However, the horse that had been pulling their carriage had gotten spooked by a snake and bolted. They had been on the outskirts of entering Roma from the Central District and the rampaging animal had veered west. In a desperate attempt to save Severino, since they couldn’t calm the horse, his father had flung him into a cart of hay they were passing. Moments later --and he knew this because Severino had recounted it in between breathless sobs-- they horse had taken a sharp turn as it hit a large rock so the carriage broke away from the harness attaching it to the animal. The carriage, along with Severino’s parents, had tumbled over the nearby cliff-face.
“It’s nothing, Zio Rocco,” Severino muttered, jarring the old man out of his own memories. Rocco Martucci had never liked the man his sister had chosen for her husband, and more so since he was a Sabelli. The man’s grandfather had betrayed their own grandfather due to greed, and caused them to lose any wealth they had. Their family suffered, and his own father had sworn that they would have their revenge. It never came about since his father had died when they’d been very young and the Sabelli had moved to Venice along with their three children.
During a business deal that would lead the man, Angelo back to Roma he had met his sister, Gabriela. They had fallen in love and since his father was not around to stop it, he had protested their romance in his stead. It hadn’t stopped them and they eloped to Venice where they were married against both families wishes. No, he had never liked Angelo since he had stolen his only remaining family from him and taken her so far away. However, he couldn’t deny that the man made her happy, and was a good husband and later, father. So, he had regretted his passing.
Rocco smiled and patted the young man’s face. “Then please get out of the way,” he said, causing Severino to laugh and move around to the back of the stand and out of sight. It pained Rocco how much Severino resembled his mother at times even when he was the spitting image of his father.
The morning passed quickly and they sold so much that Rocco believed they could splurge on meat that day. He stood from the small stool he’d sat on behind the counter of his stall and pushed it open so he could get out. “I think its time to pack up for the day,” he called to Severino. He was still in the back of the stall and would only come out when he’d manage to make a sale so he could wrap and bag the item.
“Si, I’m coming!” Severino called. The older man shook his head as he heard him scrambling up and around and knew that he was mostly likely studying his scrolls again. While it was true that the young man was uneducated, he was quite adept at catching on. So, Rocco was sure that soon even his writing would improve.
Rocco grunted as he was shoved and stumbled to the side. “Do you not have any manners?” he demanded of the man, but the other only glanced at him and took off running. Rocco’s hand instinctively went to his coin pouch and paled when he found nothing. “No! Bastardo has robbed us!”
He heard Severino gasp before he ran around the side of the stall. “Who? Where did he go?” The old man pointed out the fleeing thief before the younger took off like a shot. Rocco exhaled and turned to the stall, and saw the scrolls Severino had been reading unraveling behind the stall where his nephew had dropped them. There was nothing to do besides start to pack up and wait for the other to return.
“Give me back my money, stronzo!” Severino shouted. He was quickly gaining on the thief as he curled and uncurled his hands into fists. The other threatened to kill him if he didn’t stay back, but Severino wouldn’t be swayed. That money was their livelihood, and wouldn’t let another steal it so easily.
Severino gave a roar as he tackled the gangly man, snatching back his uncle’s coin pouch before standing and glaring down at the cowering thief. “Next time you steal from us, I’ll cut one of your hands off,” he threatened. He kicked him slightly to get him to leave as he quickly looked inside the purse to make sure nothing had been taken.
“What are you doing?” he heard someone shout. Severino cursed his luck as he saw three guards quickly approaching and wondered if he could out-run them, but quickly revised that idea. After all, if he simply explained what had happened then perhaps they would be understanding. However, it was very unlikely since the abusive guards seemed to enjoy inflicting humiliation and pain on them.
“I was stopping a thief that stole my uncle’s money pouch.” He failed to mention that if the guards weren’t so busy harassing poor citizens, then perhaps they could concentrate on catching the petty thieves that robbed hard-working people like them on a daily basis. He didn’t shout that if the Borgia would stop stealing more than fifty percent of what they earned then perhaps they, as well as all the citizens of Roma would be able to live a much better life.
“I don’t think I like your tone,” one of the guards hissed, shoving him back. Severino grit his teeth as he was pushed around by the abusive guards, since he knew that he had no weapon with which to defend himself if he were to attack or provoke them.
“Per favore, I did not mean any offence,” he said in a placating manner. He needed to get back to the stand to help his aging uncle in packing up everything, and then lug it home.
“Then you shouldn’t have opened your mouth.” The guard made a grab for the pouch and Severino growled and shoved him away immediately. He wouldn’t let anyone take what his uncle had worked so hard for!
The other man sneered and quickly drew his sword. “Stronzo! Now you die!” He swung his weapon and Severino hastily jumped back to dodge the attack. The young man had to do some quick footwork to avoid the blades of the other two guards that had decided to join in the action.
As Severino jumped back, he slammed into a panicking civilian who dropped what he was carrying before running off, and the unarmed man desperately grabbed it while wildly jumping away from an attack. He was bewildered to discover that his weapon of choice was a broom. The guards laughed at his predicament before attacking once more. Severino instinctively used the broom and swung it in a wide arc that nailed the closest enemy across the face. Rather than stand stunned as the other two, he lifted the broom and slammed it into the back of the dazed man’s head, causing him to crumble to the ground in unconsciousness.
The two remaining men became angry and started to attack in tandem, and taunted him as they swung their sharp swords at him while avoiding his hasty swings with the broom. This went on for several minutes before a carefully calculated swing took the head of his wooden weapon as Severino stumbled back, tripped over the fallen guard and landed heavily on his ass.
Severino lifted wide eyes to the approaching guards and knew that this was the end, he was going to die. Just as the closer one lifted his weapon, the world was ripped asunder.
A huge explosion was heard and all three men’s head snapped in the direction of the closest Borgia tower, which was commanded by the Captain Prospero da Siena. While they watched, the head of the tower erupted in flames that licked the Borgia flags so they burned until only ash remained. The two guards had rushed off in that direction while Severino watched in horrified awe.
Thus he was able to see a strange sight. A body, highlighted against the burning inferno, dressed in white robes and armor soared gracefully through the air before disappearing from sight. For a few moments Severino sat there stunned for several reasons. One, his life had just been spared. Two, that hated tower which had represented the Borgia’s oppression over this part of the city was no more. Three, he thought that he might have seen a man, or perhaps some kind of eagle launch himself from the exploding tower. It was a lot to take in.
However, he was spurred into action as the unconscious guard groaned from where he was laying. Severino jumped to his feet as he flung the cut broom away, but paused before fleeing. He glanced at the other man before crouching beside him and searching over his yielding body. A moment later he was holding a dagger, a few throwing knives, and the man’s sword and sheath strapped to his belt. If this guard or the others ever managed to identify him, then he’d be waiting. After all, now that the tower was destroyed they were essentially liberated from Borgia control, and Severino Sabelli --though he had very little combat ability-- would fight to keep their shop from falling into the Borgia’s tyrannical control once again.-
~o~
Nipote - nephew
Zio - uncle
Si - Yes
Bastardo - bastard
Per favore - please